Prom surprises
by gleek06216
Summary: Rachel had just about given up on her perfect prom when a friend from the past sweeps in but neither of them quite expected what happened at the dance not that they're complaining. Berryford with Puckleberry and kurt/Rach friendship.


**It sometimes feels lately, as we go farther into the lives of our beloved glee characters that we still have, that we forget the one we lost so as always I am going to try to keep Matt with us :) Enjoy!**

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><p>Sam agreed to go to prom with her and Mercedes but it felt like she was a third wheel. Especially since the boy had turned her down flat when she asked him to go with her but she brought Mercedes into it and he easily agreed. If that wasn't bad enough, she couldn't find a dress she wanted that went with that stupid budget she agreed on so Mercedes and Sam wouldn't think she was giving charity. In reality she could afford whatever dress she wanted but she didn't need them to know that, not that any of her glee 'friends' would care.<p>

Sighing she sat down, head in hands and thought about how this was supposed to have went. She was supposed to have gone to prom with Finn, maybe be crowned Prom Queen to his King but that didn't matter all that much to her, dance the night away with him and have the time of her life but of course he, being the kind of boy he was, ruined her plans by staying with Quinn at the time she needed him most.

Her next thought would have been going with Noah. As fellow Jews and friends, though he wasn't likely to admit it seeing as it didn't sound bad ass enough for him, he would have been an agreeable date but he was too into Lauren's web to realize that she was playing on his want for things he couldn't have so he wouldn't go with her either.

Mike would be a wonderful dancing partner but he was still happily with Tina and she wouldn't break that up for anything since her and Tina were finally becoming actual friends, not to mention Mike and her had no sparks at all from the interactions she'd had with him so far.

Artie was dateless but to hung up on Brit to notice anyone else.

So that left her with Sam but when he turned her down, she was left turning into this third wheel to what was really his and Mercedes first date all because of a stupid dance and her instance on not using her money to buy popularity at the start of high school.

'If I would have just listened to Daddy in the beginning, I would have been head cheerleader and had my pick of dates but no, I wanted to be myself and told him I didn't need his money for people to like me. So much for that theory' she thought, lifting her head deciding to at the very least get the dress she wanted and budget be damned.

As she looked up, however, she saw a face she hadn't laid eyes on in months and he was staring at her, looking a little concerned.

"Matt?" She called, surprised.

"Hey, Rachel. You ok?" He asked, walking over to her now that he'd been spotted.

Shrugging, "I'm alright. How are you? You're the one that disappeared"

He rubbed the back of his neck, obviously uncomfortable but said "My family had to go take care of some things but we're back now"

"Back? As in back to McKinley?"

He nodded.

She was grinning as she said, "Matt, that's wonderful! Why haven't I heard anything about this? I would have thought Mike and Noah would have told everyone by now. How long have you been back? When do you start school."

He chuckled a little, thinking some things never changed but he just said, "No one knows I'm back yet. Well no one besides you, of course, now. I start back next week."

Her face fell then, "Oh so you're not going to prom this weekend then?"

"That's this weekend?"

She nodded, still frowning.

"I didn't know. Is Mike going with Brittany then?"

Rachel's jaw dropped, "You've not talked to Mike since you moved?"

He shook his head, "Things have been crazy. I've not talked to anyone. Why, what gave it away?"

"Mike's dating Tina. Has been since before school started."

"Tina? From glee?"

Rachel nodded, still not believing the best friends hadn't spoken in so long.

"And you, are you going with Hudson or Puckerman or do you have a surprise date too, Artie perhaps?"

Her frown came back as she explained the three way prom on a budget thing leaving out the feeling of third wheel as she saw Matt's face fall at being seemingly replaced.

"I guess I should have expected it but I just didn't think..and Hudson seriously went back to Quinn? Excuse my language, but what a fucking dumbass."

"You're still welcome in Glee, Matt. You know that and though I was not a fan of his decision to go back to Quinn, I can't fault him for wanting her and hope that they get all the happiness the deserve."

"Wow, that almost sounded sincere" Matt teased, before saying, "I have an idea, go to prom with me"

And Rachel's dream prom became a possibility again.

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><p>"I told you two, have fun I'll meet you there, I promise. I have some things to take care of before prom but tell Sam to save me a dance, alright" Rachel said to Mercedes over the phone as she finished getting ready. Matt was picking her up in twenty minutes and they were having dinner at a little vegan restaurant by her house. There was little chance of running into anyone they knew there so they would still get to hold the element of surprise for the dance itself.<p>

Dinner was a surprise to both of them because it was actually a lot of fun. Away from his louder friends, Matt talked a lot more and had plenty of funny stories to tell about his family and some stories about their glee mates that hadn't been heard before that made for a fun time. As for Rachel, Matt found out that the loud, bossy act may just be a cover because the time they spent together she was fun, a little crazy but in a good way and just over all great company. Plus she had homemade cookies for him when he came to pick her up so that was a bonus.

"Well, think we've made them wait long enough?" Matt asked, getting up to pay the check, despite Rachel's protests.

"I suppose. It'll be fun seeing their faces when they see my date." She winked at him as she said it and he just grinned and offered her his arm.

The drive to prom they talked about the reactions they would probably get.

"Mercedes and Sam are going to be shocked to find themselves unable to claim they aren't on a date" Rachel laughed thinking of their faces when they see she brought a date.

"Mike's going to flip out. I'm not sure if he'll be happy or mad at me at first thought" Matt said, thinking. He knew his friend pretty well and knew that he was probably going to pissed that he was gone without a word for so long.

Rachel put her hand on his arm and said, "Don't worry, they happiness will win out. He's missed you to much for it not too."

Matt nodded, giving her a small smile before saying, "Puckerman and Hudson are going to want to kill me when they see the beautiful girl I have on my arm."

She blushed and swatted at his arm but couldn't hide the smile that wouldn't leave at his words.

They pulled in and looked to make sure no one they knew was out in the lot before getting out, "Now or never" Rachel said, seeing Matt pause as he stared at the school.

"Now it is then" He replied, shaking out of his freeze before wrapping an arm around Rachel's shoulders and leading her inside.

As the entered they looked around to see if they knew anyone but still no one. "Wow they are making the entrance an easy thing. How strange for our group" Matt quipped before leading her to the gym where the dance could already be heard.

Walking in, Matt checked them in as Rachel scanned the crowd, quickly spotting Mercedes and Sam sitting with Mike and Tina. She elbowed Matt lightly and nodded towards the group. He stood staring for a few seconds before placing his arm back around his date and leading her towards the table.

"Mind if we sit with you guys?" Rachel asked, trying to hide the smile in her voice.

"Rach you made..." Sam started before he saw she was with someone, "Who's your date?"

That caused everyone else to look up.

"Oh my God! Matt!" Mercedes squealed surprising the group by throwing her arms around the surprised boy before letting Tina do the same.

"We've missed you! Why didn't you say you were coming?" Tina asked, looking at her boyfriend who was sitting there still in shock.

Matt held his free hand out to Mike, "Hey" he said quietly.

"Hey? Really, dude, you disappear for months and come back to say hey? How lame" Mike shot back before getting over his shock and hugging his friend.

"I'll kill you later for now I'm just happy to see you" He answered the look Matt gave him when he pulled away.

"I'll take what I can get. I'd hate to get blood on my prom date's dress" Matt shot back, winking at Rachel who was smiling at the pair.

"Speaking of, how'd that happen?" Sam asked, now that he knew it was the Matt that had used to be in New Directions, he knew what was going on.

"I ran into Matt at the mall and found out he was back in town. It just fell together from there."

"Wait, you're back?" Mike asked, "Like for real?"

Matt nodded, grinning even as Mike punched his arm, "You come back and you don't even tell your best friend? Who you also forgot to inform you were moving away? What the hell man?"

"Later, I promise for now, though" He turned to Rachel, hand out, "Can I have this dance?"

"Why, Mr. Rutherford, I thought you'd never ask" She said, taking his hand and letting him lead her to the dance floor. Coincidently right in front of a dancing Noah, Lauren, Quinn and Finn. Noah saw Rachel and smiled waving before realizing she was with someone.

"Who" he mouthed nodding towards Matt. So she motioned for Matt to look back and when he did, they both got to see the shock in Noah's face before he left the group he was with to fist bump his friend.

With another promise of later, Matt whisked his date away from his crowd of friends, to a corner full of people neither of them knew too well.

When she looked at him curious, he just shrugged saying, "You promised me a dance and they want us to talk so I figured we could dance here."

She nodded letting the answer go, and wrapping her arms around his shoulder as Quinn went up to start her song for the night, singing Love will find a way.

"I'm glad I ran into you, Matt" Rachel admitted, her head laying on his shoulder, smiling that she got her perfect prom despite all the trouble she had had getting there.

"Me too, Rach. Who knew you aren't half as annoying as everyone says" he teased to lighten up the moment.

"And who knew you weren't a mute fool" She shot back, lifting her head to wink at him.

He picked her up around the waist spinning her around saying, "I'll show you fool" and she squealed and laughed as he continued spinning and dancing her around like a fool until she was begging for air from laughing so hard.

He put her down, laughing himself before he caught sight of her, spotlight shinning on her as her laughter slowly faded under his gaze, and a look of equal seriousness met his.

"I did say I was glad we ran into each other right?" He asked softly.

She nodded, "Actually I did but you agreed" she replied equally quiet.

"good" then he bent down, catching her lips with his. Neither of them expected this when they ran into each other days before. They were just old teammates who thought it'd be a fun joke on the rest of their friends but here they were and the joke was on them and neither of them cared.

"Ahem" came the cough from behind them.

They pulled away smiling at each other before turning to face another glee member, "Kurt, you look amazing" Rachel said, unable to contain the grin that had spread across her face.

"And you look ravishing, love, but we both know that's not why I'm here. Mr. Tall dark and mysterious, it's good to see you again now what are you doing with my diva?"

"KURT" Rachel yelled, blushing as Matt started laughing.

"Good to see you have friends now, Rach and I would think it was obvious what we were doing, Kurt. It looked about the same as what you were doing with your new not so tall, but dark and handsome moments before you noticed us."

It was Kurts turn to blush at being caught in his little secret moment with Blaine and he nodded, "Well know, if you hurt her..." He left the threat open as Rachel hid her face in Matt's shoulder.

"Got it, give the new boy the same warning from me." Matt winked at Kurt before turning to Rachel, pulling her to dance with him again.

"So Hummel's quite protective of you these days. Last I knew you and he weren't so close"

"He transfered to Dalton and we became friends. He just recently came back himself." Rachel mumbled, still red from embarassment.

"Ah so that's where he met new guy"

"Blaine, yes"

"Blaine, got it. Does Blaine go here too?"

She shook her head. 'No he's lead singer of Dalton's show choir"

Another nod and Matt went to twirl her around, fighting to get the fun of their date back before they were interrupted.

"What was that, Matt?" Rachel asked suddenly.

"It was a dance move. If you remember we've done quite a few of them today"

She rolled her eyes and just stared at him.

"Oh do you mean what was.." he leaned and lightly pressed his lips to hers before whispering, "this?"

She kept staring and finally he said, "What if I told you it was whatever you wanted it to be?" he whispered it so she had to strain to hear.

But hear she did and she slowly smiled as she replied, "Then I'd say, you had yourself a new girlfriend to restart McKinley with and even more to explain to your friends"

He grinned as he said, "I was hoping that would be what you said."

"You should go talk to them, you know" Rachel murmered into his shoulder as they started the next dance.

"I will, but not yet" He answered, pulling her closer, both of them smiling the permanent smile of new romance and the perfect date. Saving all worries and explanations for another day, today was just for them.


End file.
